Crab ID for newbie, please

[Fiver]

Is this hitchhiker an emerald crab? If so, keep or not?

Thanks for your help.

 

[cloak]

It looks kind of like a Mithrax crab, but perhaps these links will help.

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2010/12/inverts

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-12/rs/index.php

 

[The sea slug]

How big is it?

 

[Fiver]

It looks kind of like a Mithrax crab, but perhaps these links will help.

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2010/12/inverts

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-12/rs/index.php

Thank you. I think you're right.

 

[Fiver]

How big is it?

It's a tad smaller than a nickel.

 

[SoloGarth]

Hairy crab = not reef safe. Mithrax will eat coral.

 

[FishAndAquatics]

I really expected someone to say it's just a red emerald crab.. that's what it is. Mithrax sculptus the red emerald crab, is reef safe just like the green one

 

[cloak]

That's the first red emerald crab I've ever seen... Maybe they should call it a red ruby crab instead.

 

[SoloGarth]

I really expected someone to say it's just a red emerald crab.. that's what it is. Mithrax sculptus the red emerald crab, is reef safe just like the green one

These are not reef safe. They will absolutely go after coral. No crab with claws like that is. They are opportunistic feeders. If there isn't something better to eat they will pull polyps off of coral one by one to eat. I have seen this with both of the ones I had years ago. They were subsequently banished to the sump.

 

[Dkuhlmann]

These are not reef safe. They will absolutely go after coral. No crab with claws like that is. They are opportunistic feeders. If there isn't something better to eat they will pull polyps off of coral one by one to eat. I have seen this with both of the ones I had years ago. They were subsequently banished to the sump.

You're right but they eat fish also, just ask my emerald crab living in my sump :hammer:

 

[SoloGarth]

You're right but they eat fish also, just ask my emerald crab living in my sump :hammer:

Ok so not reef safe or FOWLR safe haha. Exactly my point though. Opportunistic predator. Labeling them as reef safe or as a good treatment for valonia is a disservice.

 

[Fiver]

Thanks for all of the great input, everyone. This one will stay in the trouble crab tank.